Helping the poor and the sick
- Rua Direita Carlos Eugénio, Taipa
- Open daily 7am-4pm
For the poor and the needy
You’d almost miss this small temple sandwiched between two houses along the busy Rua Direita Carlos Eugénio road. Built in 1899 by a group of Chinese local merchants. Lead by the well-known Mr Lou Lim Loc who also started ‘Ka Sin Tong’ a local charity in Macao to help the poor . in the harsh days of the 19th century when the Portuguese colonial government cared little about affairs in Taipa.
Temple of medicine
The temple has always been known locally for being a pioneer in providing free healthcare, even today it is known as I Leng Temple, worshiping the god of medicine. Look inside and you;ll see some other ‘medical spirits’, such as Hua Tuo, Yan Di and Bian Que.
We usually come here to pray for the good health of our families.
Charities and commerce
Also in Macau one can find examples of temples that also served as charities. This was where the local merchants would meet and trade. In fact many of these temples were societies where rules, pricing were agreed to ensure equal competition among traders and merchants, a sort of Chamber of Commerce avant la lettre.